Capstone Course

IDST 495

Students who have a catalog term of Fall 2009 semester or thereafter are required
to take IDST 495. Please note that IDST 395 is a prerequisite for IDST 495. Both IDST
395 and 495 are programmatic requirements and do not count in BIS emphasis areas.

Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone. This 3 hour course will be offered each semester,
except Winter, online or face-to-face. Course Description: Examination of interdisciplinary
scholarship and problem solving, with application based on students' areas of emphasis
in the major.

IDST 499

Students who have a catalog term prior to the Fall 2009 semester have the option to
take either IDST 499 or IDST 495.

IDST 499 is a one hour Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone Course, offered
during the Fall, Spring and Summer terms. It is a research-based course intended to
summarize your interdisciplinary experience by incorporating your Area of Emphasis
and/or career interest. You will choose a WKU faculty member to work with and he/she
will assign a project relevant to your course of study and/or career interest. The
two of you will complete the IDST 499 Project Agreement (see first link below) and
return it to the University College (UC) office prior to the first day of the semester
you want to enroll in the course. The UC Office Coordinator will register you for
the course. The address of where to send the agreement is located at the bottom of
the Project Agreement form. Remember to make two copies of the completed agreement-
one for you and one for your instructor.

You should turn in your project, to your instructor, approximately two weeks prior
to the end of the semester, to allow time for the grading process and for the grade
to be posted. Once you turn in your project to your instructor, he/she will forward
the project with a grade, on the original Project Agreement form, to the UC Office
Coordinator, who will input the final grade.

Some examples of IDST 499 projects are:

- Research Paper on a topic relevant to your Area of Emphasis and Career Interest

- Portfolio, with a research component

- Internship, with a research component

For more information about the course requirement and/or a sample rubric, see the
links below.